We all
headed to the venue relatively early...since the Glennster had to wait
in the Ten Club line for his fanclub tickets. I think Glenn was something
like third in line...not too shabby for getting there around 11 or 12 (I
think it was). I had gotten a phone call from Sarah Toronto the day before...saying
that she and Carolina WERE going to be there (there was a problem with
travel plans, and they didn't think they were going to be able to make
it). We waited around for a long time...and we were all getting hungry...so
Ryan, Glenn, and I departed to Saratoga Springs...with Glenn's nice Jeep...to
get ourselves some pizza from the good pizza place I had pizza from the
night before. That place was closed:-( So we went to another place...and
the pizza was pretty damn good there, too! I need to live in Saratoga Springs...2/2
ain't bad for having excellent pizza!!! When
we got back to the show...we just hung out at the box office for awhile...met
Bruno Globensky (who was also going to be staying at Glenn's house) and
Sarah and Carolina and their two friends arrived. They had a really bad
timing of a drive...so they were a little frustrated about the whole thing:-(
Erica, Jo, and Erica's dad got to the venue around the same time. Very
shortly after Sarah and Carolina arrived, the fanclub ticket window finally
began to hand out the tickets (this was WAY past 3)...and wow! Glenn got
some phat seats. Well kind of. I mean, being dead center, 1st row and all!
We were all thrilled for Glenn! He got front row center for a show so very
close to his hometown! Awesome! Man, he was so pumped!!! I wish I had my
video cam! :-) Sarah
and I decided to head into the show...while many other chose to wait and
see if they could get upgrades...including Ryan. Sarah and I needed to
pee like racehorses...and what do you know? The Saratoga security "squad"
was a bunch of asses that like strip searched everyone. Pete was standing
around and he just looked so pissed by how long it was taking security
to get people through the gate. The girls in front of Sarah and I were
bitching because they were not going to let them in with their blankets...and
Pete was overhearing them...and he looks at Sarah and I...and he was like,
"Are you girls going to be sitting at this show?"...we must have looked
like seasoned customers to him;-) And we were like, "Hell no!!!" and Pete
turned back to the girls and was like, "See. You don't need a blanket."
Haha. So we finally go in...go to the bathroom in like the world's largest
bathroom...haha...and Sarah went and bought some merchandise. We went to
my seats to scope them out and Sarah just stayed with me for Sonic Youth's
set b/c Carolina had not come in and neither had Ryan. In-between sets
we parted ways and agreed to meet up in the usual spot after the show. Ryan
finally got in...and we were pumped about the seats b/c they really were
not that shabby! (Ironic enough, Luke was in the same row, same section
at this show...just over on the other side...and we did not even see him!
Haha!) We had a great view of Glenn and Renae in the best seats of the
house:-) We discovered that the band was more than likely pushing the RATM
Testify video on the crowd...not Jones Beach as we originally thought;-) Much
to our (Ryan and I) disappointment...we discovered after the show how similar
the Columbus and Saratoga sets were.
We enjoyed ourselves so much more in Saratoga though...and liked the whole
show better...besides the sound. It was quiet...the venue is a neat concept
(amphitheater with a balcony)...but it does not quite work... The main
highlights of the show for me...was the encore. Sleight of Hand opening
the first encore...Do the Evolution...and I got to hear Timeless Melody
for the first time! I was so excited that I actually got to hear it!!! Porch.
Oh geeze! First of all...like I mentioned in an earlier re-cap...the song
is just one of the greatest live...and then we see the
Edster...going into the crowd...RIGHT where Glenn is! We were just like,
"Oh my goodness! That is Glenn! That is Glenn! That's our buddy Glenn!!!"
:-) Glenn ended up holding onto Ed's hand the entire time he was down there...as
well as helping him keep his balance...he got some great/amazing shots
and they are up on his website...located
here. Second
Encore was pretty cool as well. Soon Forget...with the crowd (not me and
Ryan...that's for sure!) clapping...all off with the beat...all at different
times...obviously drunk clapping...and Ed fucking up pretty bad (but it
wouldn't the worst fuck up I would see on Leg One...tee hee). Great version
of Black...and then...the obvious...Yellow the Ledbetter...with Mike playing
another Led Zeppelin song...Nobody's Fauly But Mine. Gotta love that guy!

After the
show...man...getting out of that place was a bitch! I had to climb a fence
to get out of there (and I later learned I was not the only one!). I waited
around and did not see ANYONE I knew! One guy noticed my purse and started
talking to me, "Hey, weren't you at Jones Beach?" Hehe pretty cool that
people can remember seeing me at other shows by my purse;-) So we shot
the shit for awhile..and he departed with his friends...and then all of
my friends came pouring in. Ryan came...with a setlist. Sarah came...with
a Sonic Youth setlist. Carolina came...with a setlist. And Glenn...geeze!
The guy was so incredibly out of it after the show:-) He ended up with
Ed's setlist. About this time I snapped the picture you see of the people.
John's the goofster at the bottom of the picture...and then it's Glenn,
Ryan, Carolina, and Sarah. The picture is pretty funky since I took it
in the pure dark and had NO idea who was in the picture and who wasn't
since I couldn't see shit out the viewfinder:-) Ryan and I went over and
said goodbye to some of the hard-hardcorers (the folks that are fortunate
to like do the whole first leg...or both legs) and he said goodbye to them...and
I said, "See you folks in Philly!" while Ryan scowled;-) I was
not as sad as I thought I was going to be...but then I remembered...oh
wait...I have two more shows to go to later in the week:-) I was sad I
was going to be losing my travel partner until leg two though!